Costa Rica: Adventure is Out There. Past Review
By Sarah R (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Trinity University) for
Centro Linguistico Conversa: Santa Ana - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
The differences in Costa Rica and the United States inspired various writings, and stimulated ideas. It gave me the belief that travelling isn't nearly as hard as I initially thought. I could do it any time to just about any place. The various activities in Costa Rica have given me the desire to explore my own town and region more thoroughly. I come away with new appreciation for foreign cultures as well as an appreciation of my own.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The small classes were intimate and unique, I really enjoyed being so close to my teachers and classmate. They took care of us, helped us plan trips, and tailored each lesson to the needs of the students. Because I didn't go through a program the grading was unclear, but the overall grade accurately reflected the effort I expended and how much I accomplished. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators were easy to access at the school, and incredibly helpful (even with my almost passport crisis, which was totally my fault). Teachers were wonderful, highly accessible as well. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was arranged through Conversa, they asked a few questions about where I wanted to live, and they placed me in a good home. The neighborhood was quite typical of Costa Rica, from the busy noises of trucks and roosters all through the night, to the odd street fight. All I had to purchase for myself in regards to living items was soap. My Mamatica cooked for everyone, did laundry, and even taught me the basics of crocheting. I was treated somewhere between "guest" and "family member". They were very kind and protective of me. |
| * Food: |
I love to eat, and there was always enough food. Tasty food. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Socially, it was hard to avoid Americans and difficult to get into the Costa Rican community in such a short time. Following the world cup was fun, HUGE deal over there. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
We were informed that there were real dangers in the city, but everyone was always very protective of us. They kept us up to date, but didn't ever forbid us from exploring. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I didn't spend too much on food, as that cost was included in tuition and housing. I spent most on trips. I probably spent around $20 dollars on personal expenses a week at home (if that), and around $60-$100 for each big weekend trip depending on the destination. Initially it was a struggle getting money from the bank because they would close fairly soon after we got back from classes, but it worked out. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It wasn't hard to spend sparingly, so I didn't feel anxious about splurging on trips. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I was immersed in Spanish with my host family and in class. Mobs of Americans at the school made it hard to speak only Spanish, but I improved drastically. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I already spoke Spanish going in, so I understood most of what happened around me. I had a wonderful time. Conversa made things easy, and showed us how to arrange trips, where to go, and how to get the most out of our stay. |
